Hello, Im curious if anyone paid for a packing class during their training before? I have two dropzone to choose from that are equal distance to me. One is a club that only operates on the weekend and has kind of a bnad rep for accidents. the other is a business that operates all wk, but charges for a packing class (2hrs for $75) and makes everyone go to 20 min tunnel training in another state. Anyone hear of a training program like this?

I paid for a packing class but it was not a mandatory part of the training. If you could learn to pack another way and could pass the "pack with assistance" and "pack without assistance" jumps through another means (usually an experienced jumper showing you how to pack) then you did not have to take or pay for a course.

The tendency for a dz to charge for a packing class goes up the bigger the dz is, in my observational experience. I have worked at multiple dropzones packing and I have always had time out of the unpacked tandems hitting the packing mat to teach beginners the principles of packing. Whether thats showing them as I pack a sport rig (slower than normal to walk them through it) or whether thats giving them pointers while THEY pack.

I have visited a couple big dropzones and overheard paying for packing classes...this is because they have so many students come through that it becomes hard to manage and you need to pay somebody to manage it (its more work compared to a student or three every weekend to teach when its 10 students each weekend that need to learn).

If you take a staff member away from jumping whose sole income is from making work jumps why shouldn't that individual get compensated for their time. They are providing a service and they are a professional, totally fair for them to get compensated.

I will gladly give free packing lessons if time allows for it, but I don't pay my bills with work jumps.

What I have seen which pisses me off is jumpers having to pay for packing lessons but after the lesson they aren't cleared to pack their student gear. The DZ then charges them a packing fee for having one of their packers "supervise", even if the jumper is perfectly capable of packing unsupervised.

That chaps my ass. If the packing class is worth paying for then a fair number of the students should be able to pack after it is done. Granted, some questions remain after the class but most students shouldn't need full supervision after the class.

If that isn't the case you need to overhaul your packing lesson, or you need to say that all student gear gets packed by packers only, but the above seems exploitative.

Hello, I did pay $80 last year but it was not mandatory to take a class, if you learned by yourself that would be acceptable as well. For me was a one to one training, plus I could practice packing student rigs all day under the rigger supervision.

You seem to have several questions.... I'll answer each as best I can.

1. Anyone paid for a packing class during their training before?

The answer personally for me is that I didn't pay for a packing class, but it is quite normal to charge for a packing class. I didn't pay for my class because I learned at a small DZ 19 years ago and it was a weather day. But most DZ's I have worked at charge for the class.

2. Which of the two DZ's?

Well, you answered it with, "has kind of a bnad rep for accidents". If true, then I would avoid the place till you know if the rumors are true. I'd have to ask how did you get this information and how do you know that it is valid?

3. Ever hear of a training program that uses tunnel?

Yes, I have taught many versions of AFF/tunnel both military contract and civilian. It works very well if done correctly.

A friend of mine just recently paid 80 USD. She packed 3 times under coaching, more or less 4 hours work. Rather cheap if the instructor does a good job if you ask me. I heard that in other countries almost every spare minute is spent with practicing packing on the way to the license. Unlike in the US where you can pay a few bucks for a packjob and progress to the B or 80 jumps without having a real clue of packing (like myself). I was happy - and also a little regretful - to learn how to properly check for lineovers and some tricks to get regular on-heading openings (body position given) only after some 500 pack jobs from a good friend having suffered from proper packing training in his starting days...

I didn't pay for a class, but my local DZ does offer one. One of my instructors was kind enough to get me started free of charge during a moment of downtime and I also paid the DZ packers a little extra a few times to let me shadow them. That and a lot of personal practice in between. That being said, I would have gladly paid for the course they offer. Everyone deserves to make a living.

Simliar my DZ doesnt offer specific class but provides recommendation of a couple of packers that run one or two on one classes. Did mine last Sunday for a couple hours was great to go more indepth over the rig and canopy, ask some questions get some tips and a bit of ROTE learning. Lounge room now the packing room.

I've trained all my students from jump number 1 to pack, if they hung around. Since I was Instructor, JM and main student canopy packer, it made sense to show them how to do things one step at a time...first laying out the canopy, then the line check, then setting brakes, then flaking the canopy. etc etc. Small, easy steps that took no extra time....

It really helped speed up my packing for the next load...

Once I was happy that they knew how to pack, they were allowed to jump only their own, (or my) pack job.

I always had a couple of old U/S canopies and harnesses lying around that they could practise on.

For their A licence I would tangle the old canopy up real good and they had to untangle and pack it all on their own, with unlimited time to do so. It was hated, but everybody loved it when they passed, and everyone could untangle and pack anything with complete confidence.....

I also taught them how to disconnect and reconnect the main, and also how to do a prejump inspection of a rig, and a proper pincheck before loading the aircraft. also stressed the importance of routines and what to particularly watch out for, both during packing. and kitting up.

They also had to learn to spot.

It was all just part of the job of teaching skydivers how to look after themselves and others. I wanted a bunch of self reliant people around me ASAP, because I was too busy to nursemaid everyone, and wanted my main focus to be on the noobs....

To me, proper packing skills is something that should be a standard requirement for anyone who obtains an A licence, anywhere.

When we had paid packers for the tandems, the TM's insisted that all packers had to pass that packing test if they hadn't already come through my training course...

And once they'd passed, they LOVED watching the next A licence candidate swearing, cursing and scratching their heads.

I've trained all my students from jump number 1 to pack, if they hung around. Since I was Instructor, JM and main student canopy packer, it made sense to show them how to do things one step at a time...first laying out the canopy, then the line check, then setting brakes, then flaking the canopy. etc etc. Small, easy steps that took no extra time....

It really helped speed up my packing for the next load...

Once I was happy that they knew how to pack, they were allowed to jump only their own, (or my) pack job.

I always had a couple of old U/S canopies and harnesses lying around that they could practise on.

For their A licence I would tangle the old canopy up real good and they had to untangle and pack it all on their own, with unlimited time to do so. It was hated, but everybody loved it when they passed, and everyone could untangle and pack anything with complete confidence.....

I also taught them how to disconnect and reconnect the main, and also how to do a prejump inspection of a rig, and a proper pincheck before loading the aircraft. also stressed the importance of routines and what to particularly watch out for, both during packing. and kitting up.

They also had to learn to spot.

It was all just part of the job of teaching skydivers how to look after themselves and others. I wanted a bunch of self reliant people around me ASAP, because I was too busy to nursemaid everyone, and wanted my main focus to be on the noobs....

To me, proper packing skills is something that should be a standard requirement for anyone who obtains an A licence, anywhere.

When we had paid packers for the tandems, the TM's insisted that all packers had to pass that packing test if they hadn't already come through my training course...

And once they'd passed, they LOVED watching the next A licence candidate swearing, cursing and scratching their heads.

We need more instructors willing to put in that amount of time and effort. A+ in my book!